The Lok Sabha was adjourned till noon on Wednesday, 29 July, minutes after reconvening for the day, as Opposition members launched into heavy sloganeering during the Question Hour, disrupting proceedings over the police action against demonstrators at Jantar Mantar on 20 July. The protest centred on the crackdown during NEET paper leak demonstrations held at the landmark protest site.

How the Disruption Unfolded

Speaker Om Birla opened the session by acknowledging India's medal winners at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow. He then moved to preside over the Question Hour, but the Opposition benches erupted in sloganeering almost immediately. Despite repeated appeals by the Speaker urging members to allow the House to function smoothly, the protests did not subside, forcing the adjournment.

The NEET Shadow Over Parliament

The disruption is the latest flashpoint in a parliamentary session already consumed by the NEET-UG paper leak controversy. On Tuesday, the Lok Sabha witnessed a charged debate over the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, introduced by Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh on Monday. The Bill proposes imprisonment of up to 10 years, fines of up to ₹10 crore, asset confiscation, and fast-track courts mandated to deliver verdicts within three months for examination fraud.

The government defended the tougher provisions as a necessary deterrent, while Opposition members termed the legislation an 'admission of failure' of the existing examination framework. NDA allies, while backing the Bill, called for broader systemic reforms in how competitive examinations are conducted.

Rahul Gandhi Expected to Address the House

According to reports, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was expected to speak in the Lower House at around 12.30 pm on Wednesday. His address, if delivered, would mark one of the more closely watched interventions of the session, given the political salience of the NEET controversy.

Background: The Controversy That Triggered It All

The legislative push and the parliamentary turbulence both trace back to nationwide protests over the NEET-UG paper leak, a crisis that ultimately led to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The 20 July demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, and the police action that followed, have since become a focal point for the Opposition, which argues that the government's response to the leak — and to protesters — has been inadequate. This is not the first time the session has been stalled over the issue; the NEET controversy has repeatedly disrupted proceedings since the leak came to light.